The predecessor to the margraviates of Ansbach and Bayreuth was the
burgraviate of Nuremburg, which was first mentioned 1105. It became
through marriage a possession of the house of Hohenzollern about 1192. The
branch of this dynasty that ruled Nuremburg enlarged its territory during
the 14th century and was elevated to princely status 1363. The German king
Sigismund pledged the margraviate of Brandenburg to burgrave Friedrich VI
1415. Because the pledge could not be retrieved was Friedrich VI enfiefed
with Brandenburg 1417. When he died 1440 was the burgraviate of
Nuremberg divided into two margraviates, which from then on was granted to
collateral branches of the house of Hohenzollern in Brandenburg. Its last
margrave ceded 1791 his territories to Prussia, which in its turn ceded
Ansbach and Bayreuth to Bavaria 1805 and 1807.